Averaging 18.5 points per game, Kyle Blauch, 24′, is Boulder High’s standout basketball player. His strong point-scoring ability and strength on the court have led the Boulder High boys basketball team to four wins this season. Blauch’s basketball journey began at the age of five when his dad, a former collegiate basketball player, introduced him to the sport. More recently, Blauc announced his commitment to playing D3 basketball at Hope College in Michigan.
Blauch joined his first club team in 5th grade and said that was when he began to take basketball seriously. His dedication and work ethic since 5th grade led him to make the Boulder High varsity basketball team as a freshman, a team he has remained on for all four of his high school years. When describing the team’s environment, Blauch says that “everyone is close and everyone has each other’s back, especially this season it seems everyone really cares about each other and everyone is good friends with each other.”
In addition to being a returning varsity player this year, Blauch is also a returning team captain. As a captain, Blauch says his role is to “help lead throughout games and practices and as well make sure we stay together throughout games and don’t fall apart especially when we get to crunch time.”
In his journey to collegiate basketball, Blauch says the toughest battles he has had to overcome are the mental ones, saying, “There’s been plenty of times where I’ve had horrible weeks in which I couldn’t put the ball in the hoop and felt like quitting.” Many athletes face similar roadblocks, but with the help of a robust support system and an understanding of the need to slow down and enjoy the game, Blauch has worked through the struggles to excel on the court. Blauch says his biggest supporters are his parents, who have “been to almost every game and have paid so much money to give me the opportunity to see schools outside the state as well as play in tournaments and showcases all around the country.”
Blauch says his most significant accomplishment in basketball was his commitment to collegiate sports. When speaking specifically about the Boulder High basketball program, Blauch said his favorite moment came last year when the team finished out their season with a four-game win streak. In Blauchs’s time as a panther, he says his favorite moments have been “being able to play with so many of my friends” and “traveling with Boulder High all around the country this past summer.” Traveling and being a committed member of the team can lead to falling behind in school due to having a lot of work and not a lot of time. Blauch says, “To balance school and sports, I make sure to use my off periods to get work done and study to ensure I have time to get 8 hours of sleep at night and not stress over a quiz or test after a game or practice.” Good advice for any athlete to follow!
In terms of his hopes and dreams, Blauch says that he hopes that in his final season as a Panther, the team will make it to the state playoffs in February.
